Bueno!! Este semana era Bakán!

Bueno!

 This week was really slow but we worked really hard and we had to work hard with Sister Ana Maria to help her prepare for her baptism. It was all good and the work payed off. She really has changed and man it's been awesome to see it and to learn along side her. 

 

Her son didn't want to really listen to us... not because he doesn't like it but he likes to play a lot of soccer and well he can't sit still. But now he is excited and wants to be baptized so we will see what happens with him. 

 

I really loved what I learned this week in priesthood. Something that really hit me was talking about a part of the Old Testament that before a group had to cross the river in dry ground they had to put their foot in the water. I loved that because all the time God is willing to help us but we have to put the effort first and we have to take that first step of faith. I really I think that was an answer to my prayers and a blessing to me because it has helped me see what more I can do so that God can bless me.

 

I know that God loves us and that we wants so bad to help us but first we have to be obedient and really that isn't hard even though Satan tries to make it seem hard. 

 

Trust in God and push forward with Faith.

I love you all so very much!! 

Elder Smith

 

 

This guy is seriously AMAZING!

This was another good week!  My companion was a little sick and we were in the house a little bit this week. We had interviews on Wednesday and man it was good to see and talk to President one on one. This guy is seriously amazing. I love talking to him! Really, I  have felt the strongest desires to be as obedient as I can because I know that God will bless me and my companion.  It's been amazing to see and feel the difference to find the things I needed and need to do better so I can be obedient and change them.

So we have still been helping the Zenteno family and sister and they will be getting baptized in this week or next week.
 

One of the stake brothers talked on obedience in our ward and it was a super amazing talk. I think that sometimes we forget that God really blesses us for being obedient. I know it seems hard sometimes but really all we have to do is do it and remember what we can and can't do and really that's when God blesses us.
 

He also talked about how Elder Holland talks about when we have to cross close to the Garden of Gethsemane and the hill of Calvary in our journey. I really like how he talks about how it's not easy and it shouldn't be easy to follow these things but that really this is how we grow.
 

It touches my heart so much to see how much we can grow through trials and when we push through them. It's been so rough sometimes here in the mission and I have seen big changes in me after I could get through something.

 I think one of the reasons the people go inactive is because the members' aren't doing their part. But I have felt that, if we as men can be better in doing our part and completing our promises with God we will work better in our families and man it will all be better.
 

I know that if we do what we need to and trust that God will help and bless us he really will. I know that if we are humble enough to let God mold us he will help us become who he wants and who we really are. 

I love you all!! 

Elder Smith

Time Flies!

So this week was good. It went by super fast and I also had two interchanges again so it was a little weird and I didn't get to work with my companion as much and that was a bummer because we have got things down.

So, we have 5 people that have dates for baptism and one that could be baptized this week but I'm not sure if she is ready but we will see from what happens this week.
We have some really good people that we are working with and they are reading a lot of the book of Mormon so that was amazing and the family Zenteno stopped smoking last Monday and well they have 8 days free from the death smoke. They are so amazing and really I have grown to love them so much.

 

        The mission has been super hard but i am someone that i never thought I could be I have seen people change and actually come to know God and to see all this and be a part of it makes me happy and I feel the love of God when I do his will. It hurts to see members here that think they can just go to church and call it good. I think I might have bugged them a little bit last week because in elders quorum the president asked who would be willing to do their visits or to go out and visit that day and none of them raised their hands. I felt a little inclined to say something and what I said felt good but none of them showed up. 

This week I have thought about the 10 lepers. I was thinking about how us... we are lepers and Christ is healing us and has healed us through his atonement. But there is a difference between the people that say thanks and the people that will just walk away and be happy because they were healed. Part of the healing process and saying thanks is doing the lords work or doing our part or the work of salvation. Us as members can be the one that gives thanks and goes to Christ and shows him our love and thanks for healing us or we can be prideful and not do anything.. be healed and then just get sick again or fall back into sin.

All of us have a part to do and it is our calling to fulfill it.  I have been thinking a lot about that and really what I can do better because I know that we always have space to become better.

I love you all!!

Elder Smith

 

Blessings of Diligent Work!

This week was good! The first week of the new change and my companion and I are super excited because after three months of hard and diligent work it's starting to show.. and the blessings are coming. The Zenteno family came to church again and they have to stop smoking before they get baptized but we gave them a plan and they are going to stop this week. So we are seeing a lot of success from them. They even are starting to give lunch to us missionaries so it's good because the missionaries and the gospel will always be with them.

We also found a lady and her son two weeks ago named Ana Maria and her son Kevin.(brother inlaw??) They are super good and she has a date to be baptized in 2 weeks. She really listens to us and she wants to know the truth. She has had health problems and family problems and it seems that they are a lot happier now. 

 

For the spiritulal experience of the week.... 

 

Yesterday we were contacting houses and I went to the next house to knock and a lady came out and we introduced ourselves and then I shared something short and asked if we could share something with her and her family. She let us in so fast! Then, we started getting to know them and sharing things about us. She said that she was a memeber but she hasn't attended church in a long time. But her two sons aren't. Okay now going back to right when we just entered, I had a feeling like someone had passed away in this family and then I had the impression to ask about what challenges they have been faced with... well I didn't act on that ... really have to get better about that. The second time I asked and they opend up and shared that 4 years ago they lost a cousin and nephew and have been struggling ever since. Both me and my companion have suffured similar experiences and we both testified that families can be together forever through the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was so amazing to see this blessing! 

I know that God loves us all and that he works in werid ways sometimes so that we can help others and so that we can be blessed!

I love you all. 

Elder Smith

It's been a great week! Staying in the same area!

Well this week was good. We didn't have too many lessons but we had some strong ones. We have been finding a lot of new people and families and me and my companion really have felt like we are going to see some success this change. So this will be our third change together and man I didn't think that was going to happen.. it's a bit of a bummer but it's all good I know that God knows best and he wants me here with my companion.

So The family Zenteno came to church again and it was super good.  They were very attentive to the speakers... me being one of them soo that's why.. haha jk.  They are changing so much and they really want to have this change and to start from zero. It's been a blessing for me to see them change and to share with them I know they are going to be baptized but I'm not sure when.

So we went to this ladys house the other day that we had contacted and she told us that she really didn't want us to pass by again. So we started talking more with her and we answered her doubts and all her questions she had then she let us in. Come to find out that it's her and her husband and their kid. It was amazing to see what happens when we pray in our heart and really try to help others and now they want us to pass by again and share with them. 

 

Today we got lucky and we went hiking!! It was amazing to be out on this hill and have a good time and to get away from the city. It made me feel free or well relaxed. haha yeah!

 

Stay in-tune with the spirit and do all you can to repent everyday. I talked about repentence in church on Sunday and it really hit me hard how we need to do it. We need to repent every day and always try to be better but when we talk to God in our prayers we need to talk to him and really talk to him about what happened and what we are going to do to change. 

 

I love you all and wish the best for you all. 

Take care. 

Con mucho amor, Elder Smith